• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.9-16
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• 2014

Objectives : Investigation of the antidepressant effect of Glycyrrhizae Radix (GR) through the anti-inflammatory effect. Methods : Depression in rats was induced by LPS (i,p.3days). The rats were treated with GR100 mg/kg (GR 100) or GR400 mg/kg (GR 400). The depressive immobility was examined with Tail Suspension Test(TST) and Forced Swimming Test(FST). The expression of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$(NF-${\kappa}B)$, $I{\kappa}B$ was measured with western blotting. The concentration of corticosterone, cytokine in plasma was measured with ELISA. The expression of c-Fos in the paraventricular nucleus(PVN) and tyrosine hydroxylase(TH) in the locus coeluleus(LC) were measured with immunostaining method. Results : In the TST, GR400 group significantly decreased immobility time compared with the LPS group. In the FST, GR100, GR400 group significantly decreased immobility time comparing with the LPS group. c-Fos expression in GR100 and GR400 group was decreased comparing with the lipoplysaccharide(LPS) group. The $I{\kappa}B$ expression of GR100 and GR400 group was increased comparing with the LPS group. The level of corticosterone of GR100 group was decreased comparing with the LPS group. The concentration of cytokine of GR100 and GR400 group was decreased comparing with the LPS group. TH expression in the LC was increased in LPS group, but in GR100 and GR400 group was not shown significant decrease. Conclusion : According to this results obtained, GR has antidepressant effects by the anti inflammatory action through the suppression of HPA axis activity, not through the action against the catecholaminergic system.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.393-403
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• 2013

Baicalein (BA), a plant-derived active flavonoid present in the root of Scutellaria baicalensis, has been widely used for the treatment of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders including depression. Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated restraint stress disrupts the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in depression. The behavioral and neurochemical basis of the BA effect on depression remain unclear. The present study used the forced swimming test (FST) and changes in brain neurotransmitter levels to confirm the impact of BA on repeated restraint stress-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes in rats. Male rats received 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg BA (i.p.) 30 min prior to daily exposure to repeated restraint stress (2 h/day) for 14 days. Activation of the HPA axis in response to repeated restraint stress was confirmed by measuring serum corticosterone levels and the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor in the hypothalamus. Daily BA administration significantly decreased the duration of immobility in the FST, increased sucrose consumption, and restored the stress-related decreases in dopamine concentrations in the hippocampus to near normal levels. BA significantly inhibited the stress-induced decrease in neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the ventral tegmental area and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in the hippocampus. Taken together, these findings indicate that administration of BA prior to the repeated restraint stress significantly improves helpless behaviors and depressive symptoms, possibly by preventing the decrease in dopamine and BDNF expression. Thus, BA may be a useful agent for the treatment or alleviation of the complex symptoms associated with depression.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.195-204
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• 2011

Introduction: This study examined the regulatory mechanism underlying the meal-induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA) axis activity. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g) were hired for two different experiments as follows; 1) rats received either 8% sucrose or 0.2% saccharin ad libitum after 48 h of food deprivation with the gastric fistula closed (real feeding) or opened (sham feeding). 2). rats received 5 ml of intra-oral infusion with 0.2% saccharin or distilled water after 48 h of food deprivation. One hour after food access, all rats were sacrificed by a transcardiac perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde. The brains were processed for c-Fos immunohistochemistry and the cardiac blood was collected for the plasma corticosterone assay. Results: Real feedings with sucrose or saccharin and sham feeding saccharin but not sucrose, following food deprivation decreased the plasma corticosterone level. c-Fos expression in the nucleus tractus of solitarius (NTS) of the fasted rats was increased by the consumption of sucrose but not saccharin, regardless of the feeding method. On the other hand, the consumption of sucrose or saccharin with real feeding but not the sham, induced c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the fasted rats. The intra-oral infusion with saccharin or water decreased the plasma corticosterone level of the fasted rats. Intra-oral water infusion increased c-Fos expression in both the PVN and NTS, but saccharin only in the NTS in the fasted rats. Conclusion: Neither restoration of the fasting-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone nor the activation of neurons in the PVN and NTS after refeeding requires the palatability of food or the post-ingestive satiety and caloric load. In addition, neuronal activation in the hypothalamic PVN may not be an implication in the restoration of the fasting-induced elevation of the plasma corticosterone by oropharyngeal stimuli of palatable food.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2012

Objective : Cortisol, a product of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), is one of our defensive mechanisms in response to stress. The level of cortisol in the saliva is a major biomarker of the stress response by HPA axis and shows diurnal variation. We measured salivary cortisol level and its diurnal variation to compare the pattern of changes by degree of burn and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) score. Methods : We measured the salivary cortisol levels of 37 subjects hospitalized in the burn center at our facility from March to June 2012. Salivary cortisol levels were measured at 6 : 00 AM and at 7 : 00 PM. All subjects were tested for CAPS to evaluate the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale to evaluate and to control the coexisting depression. Results : Factorial ANOVA test revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in terms of the effect of the interaction between the degree of burn and the patient's CAPS score. Unlike the mild burn group, in the severe burn group, the patients who had a low CAPS score didn't show a normal diurnal variation and the patients who had a high CAPS score showed the normal diurnal variation. After a few months follow up, we found a greater degree of psychiatric complications in severe burn patients that had a lower cortisol stress response. Conclusion : We suppose that the disappearance of the stress response changes in salivary cortisol seen in the severe burn group may be caused by an impaired stress response. Through followed observation of the subjects, this disruption of cortisol response may cause psychiatric problems afterwards.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.124-137
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• 1996

As the society becomes more industrialized and modernized, we have more chances to experience a serious traumatic event. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has 3 major categories of symptoms such as memory disturbance, hyperarousal and avoidance or numbness. I reviewed the psychobiological evidences in 3 main categories of symptoms and the biological treatment after a brief review of the epidemiology, psychosocial etiology and diagnosis of PTSD. The memory disturbance of PTSD might be developed by the potentiation of the memory pathway mediated by norepinephrine. PTSD induces HPA axis abnormality, it might also develop hippocampal dysfunction, which might contribute to the memory disturbance. The kindling effect develops desensitization, which might develop reexperiencing of the traumatic events and hyperarousal state. Chronic aroused state of locus ceruleus with resultant chronic maladaptive state of norepinephrine system, might develop hyperarousal state. Social avoidance and physical numbing state in PTSD might be caused by serotnin or opiate system. Stress induced analgesia might be developed by opiate reliesed against the acute stress. The biologic research results would help the selective treatment of PTSD.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.119-126
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• 2012

Objectives : This literature review was researched to observe the evidence of effect of moxibustion in adipose tissue decomposition. Methods : We reviewed studies which contained lipolysis effect of moxibustion treatment in Pubmed. Results : Moxibuston improves blood flow in adipose tissue and stimulates metabolism in the course of lipolysis. Many studies reported that moxibustion stimulated reptin, insulin, testosterone, 5-HT and thromboxane. Especially, moxibustion triggers the HPA axis system, which has an effect on lipometabolism. Based on such effects, moxibustion is considered to have an effect on adipose tissue decomposition. Conclusions : Although moxibution is considered to be effective in adipose tissue decomposition, futher study is needed.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.169-175
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• 2011

Stress, a risk factor of major depression induces cytokine mediated inflammation and decreased neurogenesis. In patients with major depression, significant increases of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been consistently reported. The pro-inflammatory cytokines can stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to release glucocorticoids. In the brain, microglia and play a role of immune activation in response to stress. Increased pro-inflammatory cytokine play a role in restricting neurogenesis in the brain. Although neurogenesis may not be essential for the development of depression, it may be required for clinically effective antidepressant treatment. Hence, stimulation of neurogenesis is regarded as a promising strategy for new antidepressant targets. This review introduces changes in neurotransmitter, cytokine and neurogenesis in major depression and explores the possible relationship between pro-inflammatory cytokines and neurogenesis related to stress in major depression.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.801-812
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• 1995

CR asthma is associated with disease chronicity, a positive family history of asthma and in vitro and in vivo defects in mononuclear cell function. The HPA axis in CR asthmatics is suppressed normally by dexamethasone and the pharmacokinetic profile of an oral dose of prednisolone is similar to that found in CS subjects. In addition, competitive binding studies have shown that the ligand binding and nuclear translocation functions of the GR are similar in the two groups. Studies using gel retardation assay have indicated a defect in DNA binding in CR subjects. Chemical mutational analysis of the GR has shown that is not due to a defect in its structure at the cDNA level. Scatchard analysis of the GR/DNA and GR/ligand interactions suggests that there may be transcriptional interference of the GR with other transcriptionally active molecules leading to defective gene transcription.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2004

It is well known that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis is under the negative feedback control of adrenal corticosteroids. Previous studies have suggested that glucocorticoids can regulate neuroendocrine cells in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) by modulating catecholaminergic transmission, a major excitatory modulator of the HPA axis at the hypothalamic level. But, the effects of corticosteroids on the expression of adrenoceptor subtypes are not fully understood. In this work, we examined mRNA levels of six adrenoceptor subtypes (${\alpha}_{1A}$, ${\alpha}_{1B}$, ${\alpha}_{2A}$, ${\alpha}_{2B}$, ${\beta}_1$ and ${\beta}_2$) in the PVN of normal and adrenalectomized (ADX) rats. Total RNA ($2.5{\mu}g$) was extracted from PVN micropunches of brain slices ($500{\mu}m$) and analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA were increased in the ADX rats relative to normal rats, indicating that the PVN had been liberated from the negative feedback of corticosteroids. Among the six adrenoceptor subtypes examined, mRNA levels for ${\alpha}_{1B}$- and ${\beta}_1$-adrenoceptors were increased, but the level for ${\beta}_2$-adrenoceptors was decreased in the ADX rats. The mRNA levels for the other three subtypes and for the general and neuronal specific housekeeping genes, glyceroaldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and N-enolase, respectively, were not changed in the ADX rats. In conclusion, the results indicate that adrenal steroids selectively regulate the gene expression of adrenoceptor subtypes in the PVN.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.113-125
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• 2018

This study aimed to investigate the latest trends in the relationship between atopic dermatitis(AD) and psychological factors(PF) and to examine it in korean medicine. We searched MEDLINE for this analysis with the title "atopic dermatitis" AND ("psychology" OR "psychological" OR "mental" OR "emotion" OR "anxiety" OR "depression") in recent 5 years and searched OASIS on the title "atopy" OR "psychology" OR "emotion" from 2002 to 2017. We selected 23 papers on MEDLINE, 7 papers on OASIS. In western medicine, Stress causes changes in the adrenal nerves, endocrine, and immunological mechanisms and exacerbates dermatitis, which is explained by HPA axis and sympathetic nerve axis, neurogenic inflammation, and cholinergic signals. In Korean medicine, Stress(神) exacerbates AD by affecting the five organs, especially the heart(心), causing inflammation(火熱). We studied the link between AD and PF in Western and Korean medicine. More research is needed in the future.